Columbia University Accepts Trump Administration Demands to Negotiate Federal Funding Restoration

The Ivy League institution agreed to policy changes including a mask ban, expanded campus police powers, and academic oversight to address allegations of antisemitism.

Columbia University agreed to a series of federal demands to begin negotiations for reinstating $400 million in revoked federal funding.
Key policy changes include banning masks during protests, empowering 36 campus police officers with arrest powers, and appointing a senior vice provost to oversee Middle Eastern studies programs.
The Trump administration cited Columbia's failure to address antisemitism during pro-Palestinian protests as the reason for the funding freeze.
Critics argue the demands threaten academic freedom and set a concerning precedent for government intervention in higher education.
The funding freeze has disrupted research projects at Columbia, with other universities under scrutiny for similar federal investigations.